<ul class="summary-list"><li>A <keyword id="11922196" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="boxing" source="Orion">boxing</keyword> event in England descended into chaos Saturday.</li><li><keyword id="13370582" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="leigh-wood" source="Orion">Leigh Wood</keyword> knocked <keyword id="12224165" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="michael-conlan" source="Orion">Michael Conlan</keyword> out of the ring, after rebounding from an early knockdown.</li></ul><p>For many, even those who work in <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/mma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boxing</a> and are used to its unserious, weird, and wild nature, Saturday proved thrilling, extraordinary, and then, ultimately, shocking.</p><p>Leigh Wood overcame a stunning first-round knockdown at the fists of <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/michael-conlan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Conlan</a>, an Irishman who boxed with authority throughout much of the fight.</p><p>But Wood rallied in front of his hometown fans in Nottingham, England, to conquer Conlan. First, with a knockdown in the final seconds of the 11th, before a shock knockout in the 12th.</p><p>Conlan looked like he was out cold before he even fell to the ground, and when he eventually collapsed, he did so by exiting the ring.</p><p>Conlan fell through the ropes, upside down, and looked like he would have banged his head on the hard floor.</p><p>It was a horrible injury to have while already suffering the live effects of a knockout.</p><p>Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, the chairman of Matchroom Sport, said it was "the most dramatic fight" he "ever witnessed."</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1502797067260940290">March 13, 2022</a></blockquote><p><strong>Watch the first-round knockdown right here:</strong></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1502781713864351746">March 12, 2022</a></blockquote><p>As Conlan scored the early knockdown, he was 10-8 ahead after a single round.</p><p>As the fight wore on, he seemingly only added to his lead as he out-landed Wood by a ratio of three punches to one in the second, according to Compubox data sent to Insider.</p><p>He then out-landed Wood in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds.</p><p>Momentum only really shifted in the second half of the fight. And, clearly trailing on the scorecards, Wood needed something big to win.</p><p>But nobody will likely have imagined the disturbing chaos that was to come.</p><p><strong>Watch Wood score his 11th round knockdown right here:</strong></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1502792001397350400">March 12, 2022</a></blockquote><p>After overcoming the opening round knockdown, and by standing strong to an onslaught that could have felled lesser challengers, Wood showed tremendous mettle to have fought his way back into the bout.</p><p>He began the 12th round with a lit fire, looking to close the show.</p><p>Moments into it, he hit Conlan with a punch that did not look, on first look, to have been absurdly hard.</p><p>But it put Conlan out cold. Conlan was knocked unconscious before he even hit the deck.</p><p>As he fell backward, he disappeared through the ropes. He was then upside down, with his legs in the air, and must have hit his head hard on the floor outside of the ring.</p><div type="image" title="Leigh Wood punches Michael Conlan out of the ring." height="1333" width="2000" msid="90178439" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="Michael Conlan punched out of the ring." height="1333" width="2000" msid="90178440" hostid="261"></div><p>Combat <keyword id="11893855" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports" source="Orion">sports</keyword> routinely deliver drama, but this looked like something else entirely.</p><p>And it could have been close to tragedy, as the ring announcer could be heard asking the crowd to clear space so medical professionals could carry Conlan out of the arena on a stretcher.</p><p>He was taken to hospital as Wood was announced as the fight's winner by way of knockout.</p><p>Matchroom CEO Frank Smith said: "Michael Conlan arrived at hospital, conscious and stable."</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Frank Smith (@FrankSmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1502800069996822530">March 13, 2022</a></blockquote><p>With victory, Wood advanced his pro boxing record to 26 wins (16 knockouts) against two losses.</p>

A boxer knocked his opponent out the ring in the final round, rebounding from an early knockdown in the first

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Investigator Richard McLaren found widespread evidence of rigged <keyword id="11922196" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="boxing" source="Orion">boxing</keyword> matches in the 2016 Olympic qualifiers and official games.</li><li>He said that referees and judges worked together to manipulate matches in the Olympic games and qualifiers for money.</li><li>Irish boxer <keyword id="12224165" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="michael-conlan" source="Orion">Michael Conlan</keyword> previously said there was corruption "from the core right to the top" in boxing. </li></ul><p>An independent investigation into boxing at the <keyword id="12224163" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="2016-olympics" source="Orion">2016 Olympics</keyword> has found widespread evidence of rigged matches in the qualifiers and official games.</p><p>Investigator Richard McLaren, who also investigated the Russian doping scandal, found that referees and judges worked together to manipulate matches for money, <a href="https://cdn.dmcl.biz/media/file/219087/Boxing-Prelim-Report9-29-2021.pdf">according to his report published on Thursday.</a></p><p>McLaren, who was appointed by the International Boxing Association (AIBA), said he found widespread "corruption, bribery and the manipulation of sporting results."</p><p>The investigation found manipulation in at "the vicinity of 11" matches, including fights for medals, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/olympics/complicit-compliant-officials-fixed-boxing-matches-2016-olympics-investigation-finds-n1280549">NBC News reported.</a></p><p>McLaren said that among the fights that was investigated was a bantamweight quarterfinal between Ireland's Michael Conlan and Russia's Vladimir Nikitin.</p><p>Conlan lost the bout famously flipped off the judges after the fight, later telling reporters he'd been "robbed."</p><p>Conlan has claimed that corrupt judges and officials rigged matches at the 2016 games.</p><p>In 2016, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/16/michael-conlan-accuses-boxings-ruling-body-after-being-cheated-in-defeat">The Guardian quoted Conlan as saying</a> AIBA was corrupt "from the core right to the top."</p>

A 2016 Olympian Irish boxer famously accused judges of fixing his match. Now an independent investigation says nearly a dozen fights may have been rigged.

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5beebd0f110d4c3d372a09a6-1200/creed-ii-2-mgm.jpg" border="0" alt="creed ii 2 mgm" data-mce-source="MGM"><p class="source"><span>MGM</span></p><p class="caption">Michael B. Jordan in "Creed 2."</p></img></div><p></p></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>"Creed II" is a worthy companion to the 2015 original movie thanks to its focus on fathers and sons.</li><li>Newcomer Steven Capel, Jr. takes over as director and does an impressive job continuing the franchise that Ryan Coogler started with the first movie.</li></ul><p>&#xa0;</p><p>When director Ryan Coogler gave us "Creed" in 2015, it was a perfect continuation to the "Rocky" franchise and most of us couldn't wait for him to continue the story of Adonis Creed (played by Michael B. Jordan) as he rises up the boxing ranks with Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) by his side to try and be as great as his father, Apollo Creed.</p><p>But Coogler threw a major curveball when he decided to make "Black Panther," leaving a question mark for a "Creed" sequel.</p><p>Fast forward three years and here we are with "Creed II" (opening in theaters November 21), and a new director at the helm, Steven Capel, Jr. ("The Land"). And I'm happy to say that Capel pulled it off.</p><p>Essentially hand-picked by Coogler to take on the sequel, Capel orchestrates a worthy sequel that still has those needed references to the "Rocky" franchise the fans crave, but makes a point to build up Adonis' own story.</p><p>From a screenplay by Stallone and Joel Taylor, "Creed II" picks up six fights after Creed lost to "Pretty" Ricky Conlan in the first movie. Having won them all, he's now up against the champion Danny "Stuntman" Wheeler (Andrew Ward) for the title. Creed takes the belt (and the keys back to his car Wheeler took from the brief fight they had in the first movie) and closes the night by proposing to his girlfriend Bianca (Tessa Thompson). All seems to be going right for Creed.</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5beebd54d1e84444cc624f34-1200/creed%20ii%20mgm.jpg" border="0" alt="Creed II MGM" data-mce-source="MGM"><p class="source"><span>MGM</span></p><p class="caption">(L-R) Dolph Lundgren and Florian Muteanu in "Creed II."</p></img></div><p></p></div></div><p>But in the Ukraine, Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) has dreams of a hero's return to Russia by shaping his son, Viktor Drago (Florian Muteanu), into an even more powerful boxer than he was. In exile since losing to Balboa in "Rocky IV," the Dragos wake every morning with a singular goal: beat Creed like Ivan did his father. This leads father and son to Philadelphia to challenge Creed and Balboa to a title fight. With footage from "Rocky IV" used in ESPN highlights, Creed can't look away from footage of his father dying in the ring at the hands of Drago over 30 years ago. Of course, the two sons are going to fight.</p><p>The movie then turns to the deep-rooted drama that happens in all the "Rocky" movies: why fight? With the guilt of not calling off the Apollo Creed/Ivan Drago fight still hanging over him, Balboa doesn't want any part of it. But of course, Adonis wants to avenge his father. This leads to an impasse between the two that causes some soul searching for both men.</p><p><strong>Read more: </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/emma-stone-explains-why-she-loved-the-favourite-script-2018-11"><em>Emma Stone told us "The Favourite" was her first movie in 4 years she wasn't constantly "fixing'</em></a></p><p>"Creed II" gives us the intense training montages and incredible fights that are a trademark in the "Rocky" franchise, but what really stands out are the things that happen outside of the ropes. What starts out as a revenge tale slowly evolves into a story of fathers and sons and the building of new legacies. At its core is the work of Jordan, who again as Creed delivers a performance that shows why he's a movie star. His charisma matched with his talent is a total package that any franchise dreams of. Then there's the chemistry between Jordan and Thompson that adds another powerful layer. Stallone, who earned an Oscar nomination for playing Balboa in "Creed," once more delivers in the role that has defined his career - especially in the movie's powerful ending.</p><p>What Coogler did with "Creed" was special: taking a beloved franchise like "Rocky" and reshaping it for a new generation. But Capel took on an even riskier assignment by doing the sequel. Thankfully he succeeded and did it by focusing on the characters and not the legend of the IP.</p><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/cPNVNqn4T9I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/need-to-know-red-dead-redemption-2-2018-10">Everything you need to know about 'Red Dead Redemption 2' - 2018's most anticipated video game</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/AbQMDlXH-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div>

'Creed II' escapes a sequel slump with thrilling fight scenes and a gripping performance by Michael B. Jordan

<ul class="summary-list"><li>One of <keyword id="11922196" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="boxing" source="Orion">boxing</keyword>'s most powerful figures is named in a new, damning report from the US Treasury.</li><li><keyword id="12062414" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="daniel-kinahan" source="Orion">Daniel Kinahan</keyword> "sources large quantities of cocaine from South America," the report said.</li></ul><p>One of <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/boxing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boxing</a>'s most powerful figures, <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/daniel-kinahan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daniel Kinahan</a>, has been sanctioned by US Treasury for his alleged role in large-scale cocaine trafficking, according to a damning new report.</p><p>Kinahan, 44, rose from a regional combat <keyword id="11893855" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports" source="Orion">sports</keyword> promoter in Ireland to one of the biggest names in the sport. The Dubai-based Irishman — who has never been convicted of a crime — manages some of the sport's most prominent athletes, including Terence Crawford, Tyson Fury, and Josh Taylor. </p><p>But according to the US Treasury, Kinahan is also the figurehead of the Kinahan Organized Crime Group. The KOCG "smuggles deadly narcotics, including cocaine, to Europe, and is a threat to the entire licit economy through its role in international money laundering," said Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0713" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brian E. Nelson.</a> </p><p>The KOCG allegedly has interests in hard drugs and weapons, and — according to a special criminal court — specializes in <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-52835541" target="_blank" rel="noopener">execution-style murders</a>, <a href="https://www.insider.com/who-is-daniel-kinahan-boxing-tyson-fury-matchroom-top-rank-2020-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as previously detailed by Insider</a>.</p><p>In a statement, Nelson said: "Criminal groups like the KOCG prey on the most vulnerable in society and bring drug-related crime and violence, including murder, to the countries in which they operate."</p><p>According to the Treasury, Kinahan instructed KOCG members to send money to numerous individuals serving prison sentences, including a person "imprisoned for murder on behalf of the KOCG." It added that Kinaham secured massive amounts of "cocaine from South America," organized its supply into Ireland, and attempted to import it into the UK as well.</p><h2>The US sanctions Kinahan and the KOCG</h2><p>The US has imposed sanctions on prominent members of the KOCG hierarchy as it targets transnational shipments of drugs.</p><p>The sanctions mean property or interests of designated individuals or entities must be blocked and reported to the Office of Foreign Assets Control.</p><p>Kinahan, and the UAE-based sports management company Hoopoe Sports, are listed as under the sanctions. Hoopoe Sports is one of three businesses named by the US Treasury as "Kinahan associates." </p><p>Hoopoe Sports lists five boxers as clients according to its website: Paddy Barnes, Jamie Conlan, Michael Conlan, Hughie Fury, and Billy Joe Saunders.</p><p>Hughie Fury is a cousin of Tyson Fury, who is advised by Kinahan. Saunders has spoken glowingly of Kinahan many times.</p><p>"I have known Daniel Kinahan a long time," Saunders tweeted in 2021, <a href="https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/other-sport/boxing/billy-joe-saunders-makes-statement-23446946" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to The Mirror</a>. "I have always had a very positive relationship with him. I am aware of the allegations made against him but I simply do not accept them."</p><p>The sanctions also mean US banks, financial institutions, and other companies are prohibited from doing business with KOCG members, Kinahan included.</p><p>Kinahan's legal representatives in the US and the UK did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.  </p>

One of boxing's most powerful figures sanctioned by US Treasury for alleged role in large-scale cocaine trafficking

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5da8e74ccc4a0a7f9207e394-2000/michael%20conlan%20next%20fight.jpg" border="0" alt="Michael Conlan next fight" data-mce-source="Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images" data-link="https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/new-york-united-states-14-march-2017-michael-conlan-poses-news-photo/653549164" /></div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Michael Conlan is Ireland's next top boxer.</li><li>The 27-year-old is a former two-time Olympian who lost at the 2016 Games in Rio because of <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-sports/rio-report-claims-michael-conlan-s-2016-olympic-fight-was-fixed-1.3422913">an apparently fixed fight.</a></li><li>The man who benefited from the fix, Vladimir Nikitin, was awarded a win, but Conlan beat him so bad he couldn't even continue in the Olympics because of his injuries.</li><li>Now, Conlan has a shot at retribution as he and&#xa0;Nikitin are booked in for a rematch at Madison Square Garden in New York in December.</li><li>Conlan told us it is a fight he is diligently preparing for, using visualization techniques he has practised for years, together with the clever strategies his trainer Adam Booth is known for.</li><li>For Conlan, it is personal, for his career and his legacy.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul><p>DUBLIN - In Rio de Janeiro three years ago, a young man's dream was shattered.</p><p>The Irish bantamweight boxer Michael Conlan arrived at the 2016 Olympic Games with an excellent reputation as a top tier amateur athlete and as the reigning World Amateur Champion. He was a medal favorite.</p><p>Conlan was confident. You could tell by watching the way he jigged his way to the ring for his quarterfinal clash against his Russian opponent Vladimir Nikitin. Irish tricolour flags bobbed up and down in a crowd in which his mother, father, and fiancee were watching, waiting, for Conlan to box his way into the semifinal of the Olympics to fight for yet another medal.</p><p>The fight was an aggressive one. But for every punch Nikitin threw, Conlan seemed to land two. He was too fast, too active, and was able to bloody Nikitin at will.</p><p>By the end, Conlan had barely broken a sweat. But Nikitin, bruised and battered, still won the bout, judges decided. Conlan's Olympic dream was over.</p><p>Before he left the ring he flipped his middle fingers at the judges and had choice words for the entire amateur boxing industry. He wasn't going to leave quietly. F--- 'em, he thought.</p><p>"My dream has been shattered now," <a href="https://twitter.com/RTEsport/status/765563540136747008" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Conlan fumed to RTE on his way out of the arena</a>. "They're known for being cheats. And they'll always be cheats. Amateur boxing stinks from the core right to the top."</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5da8e6a4cc4a0a7ee12c29d2-2000/michael%20conlans%20middle%20fingers.jpg" border="0" alt="Michael Conlan's middle fingers" data-mce-source="Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images" data-link="https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/rio-brazil-16-august-2016-michael-conlan-of-ireland-news-photo/632825328" /></div></div></div><p>It is a viewpoint he still holds, telling Business Insider recently that <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/49754540" target="_blank" rel="noopener">incidents to this day</a> show him "how corrupt amateur boxing can be."</p><p>To put the Nikitin loss in 2016 in greater perspective, Conlan looked like he had barely even warmed up by the final bell while his opponent was bleeding from multiple cuts, beaten up so bad he couldn't actually continue in the Olympics. He was forced to withdraw from the semifinal because of injury.</p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/aug/16/michael-conlan-accuses-boxings-ruling-body-after-being-cheated-in-defeat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Guardian quoted</a> a senior official at the time who said boxing at the 2016 Games proved "corruption is alive and well." <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-sports/rio-report-claims-michael-conlan-s-2016-olympic-fight-was-fixed-1.3422913" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Irish Times even reported</a> in 2018 that the Irish boxing team was told before the fights that the medals had been pre-determined. The fights were apparently fixed, and it was all a sham.</p><p>Conlan is not the only pro boxer to rue the last leg of his amateur journey. Floyd <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/controversial-olympic-loss-may-have-set-mayweather-on-historic-path/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mayweather was "robbed"</a> at the 1996 Olympics and Roy <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2012/feb/15/olympic-moments-roy-jones-jr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jones Jr. was "cheated"</a> out of the gold medal in 1988.</p><p>But fast forward to 2019 and Conlan has been given an opportunity that Mayweather and Jones Jr. never received - revenge against the other fighter, the one who escaped with the dubious win.</p><blockquote class="pullquote">I watch that and let that feeling build to help motivate me, push me, and relight that fire of those feelings of why this cannot happen again.</blockquote><p>Conlan recently got a call telling him he was going to fight Nikitin again, this time as a pro. It's all booked for December 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York.</p><p>The Conlan vs. Nikitin battle is one fight in a studded card topped by Terence Crawford's welterweight world title defense against Egidijus Kavaliauskas.</p><p>"It's very, very sweet to get the news," Conlan told Business Insider. "Everybody thinks the story is perfect, that I'm just going to win it, right the wrong that should never have been written. That's not the case. The case is this fella has beat me twice.</p><p>"No matter what, if you think the decision was wrong or you think it was right, this guy has beat me twice. In the Olympics, yes I thought I won and I showed why, but he beat me before as well. I've got to go into this fight thinking it's not a given."</p><p><em><strong>Read more</strong>: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/conor-mcgregor-still-worlds-best-fighter-john-kavanagh-says-2019-10?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Conor McGregor's coach still thinks he's the best fighter in the world despite his heavy beating by Khabib Nurmagomedov</a></em></p><p>In Conlan's corner is <a href="https://www.boxingscene.com/haye-dark-lord-adam-groves-formula-win--39639" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the "Dark Lord" of British boxing</a> Adam Booth, a strategist renowned for training and cornering the former two-weight world champion David Haye and the former super middleweight world champion George Groves.</p><p>Booth and Conlan expect a more aggressive Nikitin than the Irishman experienced as an amateur. "Adam was saying he has improved from the amateurs, a little more reckless, thinking, 'This isn't the amateurs anymore, I can go in, do what I want and throw bombs.' He tries to take your head off."</p><p>He added: "But what I'm going to enforce against him will work beautifully, and it will be a really exciting fight for fans."</p><p>While Conlan said he hasn't been watching too much footage of Nikitin's fights to prepare for the December 14 showdown, he has been watching the 2016 Olympics, his post-fight interview with RTE, and the recorded reactions of his family in the crowd. He wants to recapture the emotion of having his gold medal dream shattered.</p><p>"I watch that and let that feeling build to help motivate me, push me, and relight that fire of those feelings of why this cannot happen again."</p><p>His trainer, Booth, will likely play on those emotions during their training camp. "He's good at getting in your head, Adam, as your coach. He knows the things to target to help push you, and his tactical abilities are unbelievable."</p><p>If it sounds like this is all personal, that's because it is, even though Conlan stresses that he doesn't have anything against Nikitin, more the situation.</p><p>"It's not personal with Vladimir Nikitin but it's personal in terms of my career, the history of my career, and when I look back, the legacy of it. It will look beautiful when I fix what shouldn't have happened. But this could go absolutely wrong so I've got to put the work in to make sure the happy end to this story does come true."</p><h2>Conlan's story is already filled with iconic moments and it's all down to the Law of Attraction, he says</h2><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5da915b64af90959065714d3-2000/does%20michael%20conlan%20know%20conor%20mcgregor.jpg" border="0" alt="Does Michael Conlan know Conor McGregor" data-mce-source="Photo by Ed Mulholland/Getty Images" data-link="https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/conor-mcgregor-michael-conlan-matthew-macklin-celebrate-news-photo/654641880" /></div></div></div><p>Not yet a contender, Conlan remains at the prospect level in world boxing, albeit a blue-chip one. He is 12 fights into his professional career, with seven knockouts, unbeaten.</p><p>Not content with the iconic middle finger salute in Rio, Conlan has masterminded multiple moments like that in the paid ranks - from having the former UFC champion Conor McGregor walk him to the ring for his professional debut at Madison Square Garden, New York in 2017, to generating an extraordinary atmosphere inside the Marquee in Falls Park, Belfast earlier this year.</p><p><em><strong>Read more</strong>: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-conor-mcgregor-is-really-like-according-to-business-partner-2019-4?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What whiskey 'unicorn' Conor McGregor is actually like, according to his Proper No. Twelve business partner</a></em></p><p>These moments have helped bring him to the forefront of boxing's media, pushing him ever closer to where the big money lies - being a future crossover star.</p><p>He told us he thinks these moments into reality using the same technique as McGregor. It is <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-law-of-attraction-exp_b_8430270?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAG3yxMKdYPOYydcEXT90AOE_C-ozO63QSHzIko4eEcaO2urOvueSiazwFZQlCMhvLBmpf_pZ9qgMyUjdtKhqbXBy4BogoM6dmkOTkyPOXnboyp97cMjqa1NQgbuI6P7sA-ob7-KZbhbkfxLCnIN9qFvvdM5MNrcXs9GACUlf_1V3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Law of Attraction</a> at work, Conlan said - a New Thought philosophy which is the apparent ability to attract into our lives whatever it is we are focusing on by using visualization techniques. It's the idea that positive thoughts bring positive experiences.</p><p>"You attract what you put out there," Conlan said.</p><p>"Even the McGregor thing itself, the entrance, and the atmosphere, before I even started boxing I envisioned these things. Before my debut, this was what I want to do, big entrance, music on, complete atmosphere when I walk to the ring.</p><p>"My brother Jamie, who was already professional at the time, he said, 'Are you stupid? You don't get s--- like this in your pro debut.' And I was just, 'This is what I want to happen.'</p><p>"It all ended up happening. It got even bigger with McGregor being involved. The first time I met him, I'll be honest, it's the only time I've ever been starstruck and I've met a lot of famous people.</p><p>"But the reason I got starstruck was because of who he was, how big he is. He was in the peak of his sport at the time and he was so down-to-Earth, so humble, and so nice. I was like … it blew me away.</p><p>"There's things, how my career is going, they're not randomly happening," Conlan said. "I feel like I've brought it into existence by thinking about it and processing how to make it happen."</p><p><strong>Watch his Belfast ringwalk in August, 2019, below:</strong></p><h2>His peers say he's 'a top class athlete' destined 'for a world title'</h2><p>When Business Insider visited the Colosseum gym in the Ballyfermot district of Dublin recently, two of the fight club's most prominent athletes - Luke Keeler and Davey Oliver Joyce - had high praise for Conlan.</p><p>The 32-year-old featherweight Joyce, an 11-1 boxer with eight knockouts, has trained and sparred with Conlan. "He's one of the best athletes I've shared a ring with," Joyce said. "His personality shows it all. The way he acts, the way he behaves, and the way he controls himself in the ring. He's a top class athlete."</p><p>The middleweight fighter Keeler, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/conor-mcgregor-luke-keeler-challenges-ufc-fighter-to-stay-sober-2019-10?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who is plotting a way to entice McGregor into a boxing ring</a>, also lauded Conlan. "He's a special talent," Keeler told us. "When he steps up, you'll see his level rise. He's set for a world title."</p><p><em><strong>Read more</strong>: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/conor-mcgregor-luke-keeler-challenges-ufc-fighter-to-stay-sober-2019-10?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">An Irish boxer is challenging Conor McGregor to 'stay sober' long enough so they can end their war of words and fight for a world title</a></em></p><p>Conlan certainly has the backing as he is represented by Top Rank, a boxing promotional company in its 46th year, which helped shape the careers of Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar de la Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, and Floyd Mayweather.</p><p>Mayweather even tried to sign Conlan to his stable at Mayweather Promotions, but Conlan said he never took the offer seriously. There were superior firms vying for his signature, he said. "They put interest in me but they were a team I was never going to sign with," Conlan said. "I don't believe they're a good promotional set-up. Top Rank are."</p><p>Top Rank will help shape Conlan's career, but he does have ideas on the direction he would like to see it go in, including a blockbuster bout against the wildly popular British fighter Josh Warrington, the tough Mexican world champion Leo Santa Cruz, and even a stadium fight in Ireland.</p><p>"Josh Warrington has a big fanbase and his boxing style is suited to me," Conlan said of the current IBF featherweight champion. "It would be a pleasure to watch as a fan, and even as a fighter."</p><p>"Leo Santa Cruz I'd like as well. He would be a big name. Whether it's the US or in Ireland, no problem."</p><p>Conlan continued: "One day, 100% I'd also love to fight at Croke Park. It's the biggest stadium in Ireland, one of the biggest in Europe. It would be unbelievable … the biggest thing."</p><p>No doubt, knowing Conlan, he's already visualized his entire career. When it comes to those iconic moments, the middle fingers, the McGregor walkout, and the Belfast atmosphere, Conlan may well only be getting started.</p><p>But first he fights Nikitin on December 14. And that, for Conlan, is personal - for his career, and his legacy.</p><p><strong>Read more:</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-will-conor-mcgregor-fight-in-his-comeback-2019-10?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Conor McGregor is linked with comeback bouts against 4 fighters only weeks after being considered an 'irrelevant' has-been</a></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-tyson-fury-really-like-2019-10?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The real Tyson Fury is quiet, shy, and introverted, according to an Irish boxer who knows him well</a></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-inside-straight-blast-gym-conor-mcgregor-john-kavanagh-dublin-ireland?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Take a look inside the new and improved Straight Blast Gym where John Kavanagh trains Conor McGregor and James Gallagher</a></p><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/_DAiUpN3PM8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

Ireland's next top boxer has a rare shot at retribution after losing at the Olympics because of a 'fixed' fight: 'It's personal for my career, my legacy'

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57b3358ace38f238008b7024-1500/ap_16229529268312.jpg" alt="Michael Conlan" data-mce-source="Jae C. Hong/AP" /><p class="source"><span>Jae C. Hong/AP</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p style="text-align: left;">Irish bantamweight 56 kilogram boxer Michael Conlan ripped Olympic boxing officials on Tuesday in Rio after he controversially lost his quarterfinal bout to Russia's <span>Vladimir Nikitin, despite clearly having the edge in all three rounds. </span></p><p id="yui_3_18_1_1_1471362522274_555">"AIBA cheats, He f**king cheats. That's me, I'll never box for AIBA again, they're cheating bastards, they're paying everybody," he said in a scathing <a href="http://www.rte.ie/sport/olympics/2016/0816/809622-live-rio-olympics-day-11/">TV interview with Irish publication RTÉ</a> just moments after the decision.</p><p id="yui_3_18_1_1_1471362522274_552">"I don't give a f**k for cursing on TV," he <a href="http://www.rte.ie/sport/olympics/2016/0816/809622-live-rio-olympics-day-11/">added</a>. "That's the end of my Olympic gold. My dream has been shattered now."</p><p>Conlan, 24, took home bronze in London four years ago and was a heavy favorite to at least advance to the medal round in Rio. Against Nikitin (who was controversially awarded a victory over the Thai boxer <span>Chatchai Butdee in the Round of 16), Conlan <a href="http://www.skysports.com/boxing/news/12183/10539100/olympic-boxing-judging-controversy-as-michael-conlan-heads-home-to-ireland">reportedly dominated from start to finish.</a></span></p><p><span>In the first round, his impressive footwork had Nikitin missing wildly on his punches. Still, the judges awarded the first round to Nikitin, 10-9. In the second round, Conlan advanced onto the front foot and cut up Nikitin's face to win the round, 10-9. </span></p><p><span><a href="http://www.skysports.com/boxing/news/12183/10539100/olympic-boxing-judging-controversy-as-michael-conlan-heads-home-to-ireland">According to several reporters </a>that were ringside during the bout, the third round, which had to be stopped repeatedly by the referee because of bleeding on Nikitin's face, was also clearly won by Conlan. The only question was whether judges would award a 10-8 or 10-9 decision. </span></p><p><span>Instead, they gave it to Nikitin, 10-9. </span></p><p><span>After the bell, Conlan held up his hands, expecting victory. When the judges announced the victory for Nikitin, Conlan flashed thumbs-down and middle-finger gestures. </span></p><p><span><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57b33adbdb5ce963008b6fb9-1500/ap_16229546471373.jpg" alt="Michael Conlan Rio Boxer" data-mce-source="Jae C. Hong/AP" /><p class="source"><span>Jae C. Hong/AP</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></span></p><p><span>Then he gave the scathing interview to RTÉ.</span></p><p>"I have a big career ahead of me. These ones are known for being cheats, they have always been cheats. Amateur boxing stinks from the core right to the top."</p><p>He continued (via <a href="https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/liam_happe_165--liamhappe_WPTUMBLR_916/michael-conlan-launches-incredible-profanity-laced-rant-at--corrupt--olympic-chiefs-152815085.html">Yahoo</a>):</p><p id="yui_3_18_1_1_1471362522274_1459" style="padding-left: 30px;">"Today, I thought I boxed the ears off him in the first round, and they ruled against me. I had to go to his fight, which I did, outfought him and they were just being a bit.</p><p id="yui_3_18_1_1_1471362522274_1461" style="padding-left: 30px;">"It's a shambles to be honest. I don't even care what I say now. I'm gutted from the bottom of my heart. I wanted to go back a gold medal to Ireland."</p><p>Conlan's loss is not the first controversial decision in Olympic boxing over the past two games. On Monday, Russian heavyweight boxer <span>Evgeny Tishchenko was <a href="http://www.skysports.com/boxing/news/12183/10538727/shane-mcguigan-and-bj-flores-among-those-to-condemn-olympic-boxing-judging">surprisingly awarded the gold medal</a> as boos echoed throughout the arena. </span></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/easy-workout-routine-toned-calf-muscles-coss-marte-conbody-squat-2016-8">We just figured out how to get super-toned calves without weights or implants</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="MxeWgzNTE6jWLDfK87JqYclIOwZ-VWQW" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'MxeWgzNTE6jWLDfK87JqYclIOwZ-VWQW',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Irish boxer goes on expletive-fueled rant calling boxing officials 'cheats' after losing Olympic bout

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/565c6cf1c28144c0018b5fed-966-483/creed warner bros final.jpg" alt="Creed Warner Bros final" data-mce-source="Warner Bros." /><p class="source"><span>Warner Bros.</span></p><p class="caption">"Creed."</p></div><p></p></div></div>After earning the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/box-office-mockingjay-part-2-creed-big-winners-2015-11">second-biggest box-office opening</a> of all the "Rocky" films, "Creed" has certainly made its claim for why there should be more movies focused on the son of Apollo Creed under the tutelage of Rocky Balboa.</p><p>And it seems "Creed" star Michael B. Jordan agrees.</p><p>"A character so rich as this, and the world he's in, I want to see what happens to him next and what he does," Jordan told the <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_PEOPLE_MICHAEL_B_JORDAN?SITE=AP&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2015-11-28-13-07-26">Associated Press</a>. "Especially the way it ends off, it's pretty cool. I think with success and time and circumstances, it would be exciting to come back."</p><p>But the structure of the film has already laid the ground work for at least one "Creed" sequel.</p><p>(<strong>Spoiler alert:</strong> Tread lightly if you haven't seen "Creed" yet.)</p><p>In the movie, before going to Philadelphia to seek out Balboa, Adonis Creed (Jordan) goes to the gym where his father trained to begin his path to becoming a professional boxer. But he's turned down by the head trainer of the gym (who happens to be the son of the manager of Apollo Creed).</p><p>And to make things worse, when Adonis tries to prove he has what it takes - offering to fight all comers at the gym - he's knocked out by one of the top-ranked fighters who trains there, Danny "Stuntman" Wheeler (played by real boxer Andre Ward).</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/565c6d4dc2814424008b6098-1645-823/wheeler creed warner bros.jpg" alt="wheeler creed warner bros" data-mce-source="Warner Bros." /><p class="source"><span>Warner Bros.</span></p><p class="caption">Danny "Stuntman" Wheeler.</p></div><p></p></div></div>That's the same boxer who was unable to fight the champion, "Pretty" Ricky Conlan, because Conlan broke Wheeler's jaw at the press conference for their fight.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/565c6d6f84307640008b60b3-4928-2464/conlan creed warner bros.jpg" alt="Conlan Creed warner bros" data-mce-source="Warner Bros." /><p class="source"><span>Warner Bros.</span></p><p class="caption">"Pretty" Ricky Conlan.</p></div><p></p></div></div>This gave Adonis his shot at Conlan at the end of the movie.</p><p>So a logical plotline for the sequel is Creed taking on Wheeler (trained by Creed's manager's son).</p><p>And, of course, a sequel can further delve into the relationship Adonis has with Bianca (Tessa Thompson) and Rocky (Sylvester Stallone), still recovering from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.</p><p>This all would have been moot if "Creed" bombed at the box office, but now that it's a hit (and may have some <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/creed-oscar-chances-2015-11">Oscar nominations</a> in its future), keep looking for a sequel announcement.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amazing-natural-wonders-united-states-2015-11">The most breathtaking natural wonders in the US</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="loeDMzdjq5ytYprGhl_jq9y5OoSSXPkW" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'loeDMzdjq5ytYprGhl_jq9y5OoSSXPkW',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

The star of 'Creed' wants a sequel - here's why it will probably happen

<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5df039d2fd9db276ca669403-2000/top rank boss bob arum.jpg" alt="Top Rank boss Bob Arum" /><ul class="summary-list"><li>Top Rank, one of the most powerful combat sports businesses in the world, is for sale.</li><li>That is according to the company's founder Bob Arum, who told Business Insider inside his office at Top Rank HQ in Las Vegas, that he has held discussions with Endeavor, Liberty Global, and even DAZN.</li><li>It could be the largest fight sports sale since the UFC sold for $4.025 billion in 2016.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul><p>LAS VEGAS - One of boxing's most powerful men, the 88-year-old promoter Bob Arum, has told Business Insider that he has had discussions about selling his historic fight firm Top Rank.</p><p>Arum founded Top Rank almost 50 years ago in 1973. The company has become synonymous with elite, championship boxing as Arum has organized fights featuring Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar de la Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, and Manny Pacquiao.</p><p>Should a sale materialize, it would be the most high-profile acquisition in combat sports, if not all sports, since the Hollywood talent agency Endeavor bought mixed martial arts (MMA) firm the UFC in a $4.025 billion deal in 2016.</p><p>"Anything is for sale," Arum told Business Insider at his office on the second floor of Top Rank HQ, which is a few miles south of the Las Vegas strip.</p><p>Top Rank HQ is inside a large building. The company name is embedded in marble as you walk through the entrance. At the reception desk, you can see the company's fight library archived in chronological order through the glass. It is inside a fireproof room to protect the 10,000 fights which Top Rank owns and digitized for prosperity.</p><p>Arum's office is upstairs. He has a Louis Vuitton heavy bag weighted to the floor, and Louis Vuitton gloves are inside an open cabinet. He told us that Karl Lagerfield designed the punching bag - it is one of five in existence.</p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5e4d907b04389541ab5b56c3-2000/bob arum top rank for sale.png" alt="Bob Arum, Top Rank for sale" /><p><strong>This is what is available to buy, for the right price:</strong></p><ul><li>One of the most powerful companies in all combat sports</li><li>Big-name athletes under contract - Terence Crawford, Tyson Fury, and Naoya Inoue are Top Rank fighters</li><li>Intellectual property - Top Rank has footage of a prime Muhammad Ali and other fight material which it leases</li><li>Debt-free Las Vegas real estate - Top Rank owns multiple buildings outright, including a gym near the strip</li></ul><p><strong>This is who has been discussing a deal, according to Arum:</strong></p><ul><li>The Hollywood talent agency Endeavor</li><li>The NASDAQ Telecomms firm Liberty Global</li><li>The market-disrupting OTT subscription sports streaming service DAZN</li></ul><p>Arum is seemingly courting a similar deal to the one which saw UFC sold to Endeavor. Dana White remains at the forefront of the UFC, while many people with key positions before the sale, continue to fulfill prominent roles for the company today.</p><p>Top Rank, meanwhile, is a family business. Arum may be its face, but president Todd Duboef, his stepson, has been a key driver for the company's broadcast deal with ESPN+, as well as its global-facing strategies.</p><p>"Anything is for sale if I can stay alive in the business," Arum, 88, told us, adding it would "absolutely" be the biggest combat sports asset on the market since the UFC sold four years ago.</p><p>"They [the UFC] did very well," Arum said. "Dana White still has a big role in that company. He's the spokesperson, Lawrence Epstein is the president [he's the senior executive vice president and the COO], and [vice president of regulatory affairs] Marc Ratner is still there.</p><p>"So, yeah … of course, if you're going to invest that much money in an enterprise, you're going to keep the people. You don't want to go in and start it from the get-go."</p><h2>Duboef scored a 7-year deal with ESPN</h2><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5e4da60fa27fc55c5a32bdc7-2000/todd duboef boxing top rank.jpg" alt="Todd Duboef boxing Top Rank" /><p>One of Duboef's recent successes with Top Rank was his seven-year deal with ESPN+. The broadcaster's reach in the US, which includes fans of more popular sports like football, basketball, and baseball, means boxing can piggyback off of that support when it shares the same broadcaster.</p><p>"We wanted partners with the biggest reach which aligns with our brand," Duboef recently told Business Insider.</p><p>"We just felt boxing should have a sports platform as people aren't channel-surfing anymore. Let's get our product, boxing, where the sports narrative is, and where the sports talk shows are. NFL, MLB, NBA, hockey, college sports … they're showing everything, and this is how we elevate the sport and generate awareness to sports fans."</p><p>Duboef told Business Insider that broadcasting deals these days have to be direct-to-consumer (DTC) with the Top Rank and ESPN model being a three-part strategy.</p><p>There are ESPN and ESPN2, which provide "general awareness" because of the big, talkshow megaphones. The second part, Duboef said, is about using the general awareness platform to guide customers toward the subscriber-based platform on ESPN+. Finally, the third part is the conventional pay-per-view model which boxing has long had, and where Arum and Duboef's grand fights - like Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury 2 in Las Vegas on Saturday - are held.</p><h2>But nobody would watch without elite boxers - and Top Rank has many</h2><p>Business Insider recently ran <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-boxers-in-the-world-right-now-pound-for-pound-2019-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a ranking of the top 15 boxers</a> regardless of weight class, who are active in the sport today. Top Rank has four of them in its roster of athletes, together with many other high-level contenders and prospects.</p><p>Duboef said it was a clear strategy on Top Rank's part to sign fighters from different regions around the world, like the British heavyweight Fury, the Japanese bantamweight Naoya Inoue, and the baby-faced Puerto Rican phenom Xander Zayas, who is only 17 years old but already creating headlines because of his skills, talent, and potential.</p><p>"It's absolutely a big strategy of ours, and has been for a number of years," Duboef said. "But give Bob credit, he said to me, 'We're going to sign Manny Pacquiao from the Philippines, and he'll be a superstar.' And I said, 'Wait, you're telling me a 122-pound is coming to America to take over?'</p><p>"I don't think anyone could understand it because Bob says some outrageous stuff, as you know, but when we saw what happened, it doesn't matter what country or race you're from, people just love the sport of boxing, and want to watch a fight and support their fighters.</p><p>"Inoue, those guys, we chased it. Not wait for other people to do it. We used the skillset of the knowledge we've learned over the years, applied it today … and let's do this with other talent that comes from different geographic areas and grow in those markets with that talent."</p><p><strong>Here's some of the talent Top Rank has under contract:</strong></p><ol><li>Vasyl Lomachenko (WBC/WBA/WBO lightweight champion) - 14 wins (10 KOs) against 1 loss.</li><li>Terence Crawford (WBO welterweight champion) - 36 wins (27 KOs), unbeaten.</li><li>Jose Ramirez (WBC/WBO super lightweight champion) - 25 wins (17 KOs), unbeaten.</li><li>Naoya Inoue (WBA/IBF bantamweight champion) - 19 wins (16 KOs), unbeaten.</li><li>Josh Taylor (WBA/WBC/IBF super lightweight champion) - 16 wins (12 KOs), unbeaten.</li><li>Artur Beterbiev (WBC/IBF light heavyweight champion) - 15 wins (15 KOs), unbeaten.</li><li>Teofimo Lopez (IBF lightweight champion) - 15 wins (12 KOs), unbeaten.</li><li>Shakur Stevenson (WBO featherweight champion) - 13 wins (7 KOs), unbeaten.</li><li>Tyson Fury - 29 wins (20 KOs) against 1 draw.</li><li>Michael Conlan - 13 wins (7 KOs), unbeaten.</li><li>Xander Zayas - 3 wins (2 KOs), unbeaten.</li></ol><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5e4db0252c24b667ef6356d9-1920/top rank athletes.jpg" alt="Top Rank athletes" /><p>Though Fury is challenging Wilder for the heavy-hitting American's WBC heavyweight championship this weekend, the way Arum tells it, he is just one of many marquee names Top Rank has in its stable.</p><p>"He's a major element in our stable but … I'm a boxing person, and I look also at our other fighters, at the five top fighters in pound-for-pound ratings, three of them - Lomachenko, Crawford, and Inoue - are Top Rank fighters.</p><p>"But we have all of these great fighters knocking on the door of the top 10 in the world, pound-for-pound, and our job is to put them in the best fights, for them to make the most money, and for us to make money."</p><p>With the talent at Top Rank's disposal, the greatest challenge for Arum and Duboef is to ensure they are seen and to maximize the number of eyeballs on their athletes. Hence the ESPN deal, as Duboef hopes to cast a net over the Superbowl audience and attract those fans to Top Rank.</p><p>"Mainstream sports fans are tuning in to the Superbowl at something like 110 million people," Duboef told us. "If I can get a good enough share of that, that moves over to my product, that likes sports, likes boxing, I don't have to reeducate them, that's a huge pool.</p><p>"There are 350 million in the US. And if I, or a sport, can grab a third of that, like the Superbowl does, that is success … real success."</p><h2>3 heavyweight firms are allegedly in discussions with Top Rank</h2><p>When Business Insider asked Arum if all assets that Top Rank owns would be a part of any deal to sell, he said, "sure."</p><p>This includes the fight library and the real estate which Top Rank owns, outright, mortgage-free.</p><p>"When someone's making a movie, we lease [our fight content to them]," Arum told us. "We have maybe 10,000 great, <em>great</em> fights. Well, some greater than others, but great fights.</p><p>"As for the building [Top Rank HQ]. We own it. We own the Top Rank gym, the building, and there is no debt on it. We bought it during the recession when the Lehmann Brothers went bankrupt [2008].</p><p>"They owned all these buildings on this line, and we bought it, [luxury casino magnate] Steve Wynn bought the two buildings next to us for design and so forth. Then we bought this and brought a great architect in, who is a friend, and he designed this place. We still have 5,000 square feet that we are not using!"</p><p>Arum said he has discussed the company with Endevour, Liberty Global, and DAZN, though the latter could be problematic due to Top Rank's existing deal with broadcasting rival ESPN.</p><p>"Endevour, here we are," Arum said. "We're talking to Endevour. We're talking to Liberty Global. We're talking to DAZN. I met with [DAZN owner] Leonard Blavatnik last week. We'll see. Maybe we don't sell.</p><p>"Again, our dream is to really get boxing on a global level with fights all over the world. That takes resources … money … so we know even though we've done really well and we are a solid company, we will need more resources to reach what can be accomplished in this business."</p><p><strong>Read more:</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/eddie-hearn-would-love-to-sign-saul-canelo-alvarez-2019-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Canelo Alvarez could become boxing's greatest free agent since Floyd Mayweather, and Eddie Hearn says he would work with him 'in an absolute heartbeat'</a></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/teofimo-lopez-want-vasyl-lomachenko-fight-2020-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Teofimo Lopez, a 22-year-old American, says he's doing all he can to fight one of the world's best boxers because he 'ain't no b----'</a></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nobody-beats-canelo-alvarez-at-super-middleweight-mikey-garcia-says-2020-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nobody can beat Saul Alvarez at super middleweight, DAZN stablemate Mikey Garcia says</a></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/daniel-dubois-close-to-world-title-shot-deontay-wilder-warren-2020-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A 22-year-old Brit who has 'the menace of George Foreman' is close to a world title shot against Deontay Wilder, according to his promoter</a></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bob-arum-says-he-might-die-before-prospects-become-champions-2019-12?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One of boxing's most powerful men, 88, says he might die before his prospects become champions</a></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/manny-pacquiao-signs-with-paradigm-which-represents-conor-mcgregor-2020-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Manny Pacquiao has signed with Paradigm SM, an agency which also represents Conor McGregor</a></p>

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One of boxing's most powerful executives says Top Rank is for sale, and 3 heavyweight companies have talked to him about buying

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